Venezuelans are more concerned about the Christmas economy than the United States military deployment

The rise in prices, the rise of the dollar and the buying pressure The holiday represents an atypical Christmas in Venezuela, which began locally on October 1 under the orders of Nicolás Maduro, amid an imposing military operation ordered by the United States in waters near the South American country.

Lots of people, but little turnover; This is how traders and buyers in Caracas described the dynamics in the days before Christmas Eve in Venezuela.

“There are a lot of people on the street, but you don’t see a lot of inventory.” It seems that the economy is somewhat strong. “The money doesn’t work for you.”María Da Silva, a merchant of Portuguese origin who has worked for forty years at the popular Quinta Crespo market, one of the main markets in Caracas, told EFE.

The trader pointed out that while people primarily buy the ingredients for hallacas – the country’s traditional Christmas meal made from a corn dough filled with beef, pork and chicken stew, as well as olives, raisins and capers, among other things – They do it in small amounts to make the money work. “One hundred grams, there are those who buy a kilo or half a kilo, but they buy little by little,” he commented.

For this reason, he explained, the profit for sellers this year is “low”, although they continue to receive customers. Da Silva, 70 years old, takes care of his market stall every day. He used to have employees, but he can no longer keep them. “The economy has collapsed,” he said.

They haven’t cooked hallacas in their house, and there won’t be many gifts either. “What I made are bollitos (dough tamales without filling). Clothes and gifts, just gifts for my grandchildren,” he commented.

When asked about the impact of the US deployment, she did not answer: “I don’t know what to say.”

According to those surveyed, the price increase has a greater impact depending on the payment currency.

“There are very few dollars (in cash). “If you get one, it is very rare,” Zulay Salazar, a vegetable seller at the same capital market, told EFE.

The majority of customers, he stated, You pay with a debit card the prices it sets in dollars but which it charges in bolivars at the official rate of the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV).

So far in 2025, The Bolívar lost 84.8% of its value against the dollarwhose official price started the year at 52.02 bolívars and closed this week at 342.93 bolívars through December 26, an increase of 559.3% in the US currency.

Regarding tensions with the United States, Salazar assured that he does not expect them to be affected. “Maybe in the first few days (…) you could hear a lot that people were nervous,” but now, he added, People don’t “pay attention” to the issue.

In addition to the official exchange rate, which is set daily by the BCV, there is a parallel market whose variable value is used as a reference by some traders. Therefore, prices may change depending on the payment currency.

“Here we indicate in bolivars. When they ask (ask) us how much we put in the dollar, it becomes cheaper. It is reduced a little more,” Yueskerlys Pérez, who offers ingredients for the hallacas, told EFE. Despite the crisis, he assured that this year “people bought a lot”.

When asked about the possible economic impact of the crisis with the USA, she simply replied: “No, no, everything is fine.

For his part, Rafael Ayola, a toy seller, explained that in his store there are “promotions in foreign currency,” but you can also get Bolívar “at a good price.”

The tensions with the USA don’t worry him because “No one will stop buying a baby Jesus (Christmas gift) for their children.”

“If you pay in dollars the exchange rate is the same, if you pay in bolivars the exchange rate is different. So there are different prices,” agreed Yetzenia Zambrano as she bought “food, new (clothes) and toys” for her children.

He explained that this was “everyday life” in the South American country. “What happens is that the shopping pressure in December is much greater than that of the premieres, the gifts, the food, the dinner, especially because multiple purchases are made at the same time.” In his opinion, the conflict with the USA does not have a major economic impact, but it does have a “mental impact”.

“They are afraid of a blockadethat (due to) the blockade there is no foreign exchange coming in, but since we are talking about the blockade there is much more foreign exchange income than before. “Ten or 15 years ago, buying foreign currency was illegal,” he said.